Denial of feelings between parent and child is a hotbed of contention, yet as parents we do it all the time.

Your child: “I’m hot, I want an ice cream”

You: “Its not hot, besides you've had enough sugar today”

Your child “But I’m hot…..”

You: “I told you it’s not hot, have a drink of water instead”

Your child: “I want an ice cream NOW!”

If you find yourself in a situation where you cant fulfill your child’s request for something you may find that if you don't deny their feelings ,and offer it to them in their imagination instead, then you are less likely to face resistance.

Your Child: “I’m hot, I want an ice cream”

You: “ Yes its hot, I wish there was a shop around here.”

Your child: “I want an ice cream now”

You: (waving your finger in the air) “ I wish with my magic finger, that a giant ice cream would come down from the sky…Wow! Look at that, itshuge!”

Your child: Where is the water bottle, Im thirsty.

As they say, what we experience in our imagination comes very close to actually experiencing reality.